Great Hanshin Earthquake

In 1995, Jan 17th, the Great Hanshin Earthquake killed about 6,500 people. 310,000 people became victim lost their house, as I recall. Hanshin means Osaka and Kobe. Its main afflicted area was Kobe area and northwest of Osaka. No insurrection broke out. All cooperated with each other. I heard orderly behavior by the victims got acclaim by world media except ,as far as I know, one funny Korean newspaper which had made the front page saying "That serves you right!", even though Korean-Japanese also suffered. Our government supported survivors of the Great Hanshin Earthquake with public funds. So many people gathered from all over Japan worked voluntarily for the relief of quake victims in the Great Hanshin Earthquake. I recall those days, it is sure they, the victims, were commendable.



About one years ago, I visited Kobe again. There are many houses built over the last decade. I didn't understand where I was. The cityscape has been totally changed at many area. Seeing the new buildings, some people say Kobe was reconstructed. But the buildings are a symbol of multiple debts. I think reconstruction of Kobe doesn't mean restore to original state. Several my friends lost their house and their relatives.



For some elderly age people, it was 3rd fatality. When very young, the first was also a great earthquake. They reestablished. But WWII happened. Many men were forced to join imperial army and others run around trying to escape from bombs targeting civilians. And when old, In 1995 came.



While most of people seems got happiness again, some young students didn't afford to enter an university. Some couldn't recover from a dysfunctional family. 6,500 killed never come back home.



The earth quake also hit my family house in Osaka and in other city. we suffered no damage but it left a deep impression on me. Civic life remains uncertain. Every year, Jan 17th, they lit memorial candles. I want to do it together once as ex-volunteer saw many death. Rather, living people have hard time than death though. It seems Christian church people and Buddhist monks jointly hold a memorial service today in Kobe.





As for anger I, 20 years old, felt then, most stupid people were TV media. Many visited my branch office of volunteer work and blockaded hall ways and so on. A woman reporter obviously cared about her makeup and her clothes than disaster victims. A man reporter get interviews from victim encased in collapsed houses but they didn't rescue them. TV stations in Tokyo, broadcasted a program that "If the earth quake hit Tokyo, how many people killed?" while many trembled before the shadow of death in Kobe. The reporter said so, and said it's about disaster that concerns us too. I wonder if it is not affair of other people, why didn't the TV station broadcast necessary information now? After the earth quake, In Tokyo, many people said it is not affair of other people, why did the people I met in Tokyo do nothing but drank beer at home, read Manga, saw Anime? Not a few people say volunteers are hypocritical. But I'm sure, they are the hypocritical people. It is OK that they can't do volunteer work. Volunteer associations would not be able to deal with such many people, they would only make associations to be confusing, but I wanted them not to trick themselves. I thought it was obviously affair of other people for them.



This brings back memories. Now I have a bit different opinion about them but it is the disaster made me to think of many things about this society. May their soul rest in peace. No more earth quake if I can.





I took the photo at Sekigahara from my seat of Shinkansen-train. The Battle of Sekigahara occurred there in 1600. It was a big war, between Osaka's government and Tokyo(Edo)'s rural power, changed Japan.



Foot note; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Sekigahara